On this date in 1942 a great man was born, my Dad, Gerald A. Cox, Sr. I miss him more than my words can convey. My Dad always believed in me. He always believed I could do whatever I put my mind to. Being disabled and having a family that supports you in whatever you want to try and let's you determine what you are capable of despite your challenges is amazing. My Dad had encouraged me in all my training endeavors with Finnegan even when I didn't trust myself. He always said that I needed to train dogs professionally. He was interested in my life and enjoyed hearing about my training of Finnegan. We sort of became kindred spirits as his illness progressed. We had this special bond that was formed by two people who shared life changing health challenges. Our struggles were different but both stressful in their own way. As he got sicker I felt like he really understood the feelings I've been dealing with for a long time especially as our bodies prevented us from doing what our hearts wanted to do. It's hard to admit you're body isn't capable of doing things that once were easy to do. I'd never wish his illness on anyone but it brought us a lot closer. COPD is an evil beast that stole a very important person from me not only when he lost his battle but also a long while before his passing. He wasn't able to come to visit me and my health issues made it hard for me to come to him. Thank God for the telephone and the internet. He knew due to my health issues that I didn't sleep well so we had lots of late night conversations via telephone, Skype and by email. I must admit that I didn't always appreciate his timing but now that I can look back on it I wouldn't trade one minute of our time together. I just wish I had some clue that our time together was coming to an end. His death was a blessing in that his suffering was now over but his death has left a hole in my heart that can't be filled. I love you Dad. I love you more than words can express. Happy Birthday Dad!